Is There A Doctor In The House?
by BuffyTheSlayr
Summary: Dr Jo Polniazcek was on the cusp of becoming a successful 2nd Year resident in the ER at the Peekskill County Hospital until a certain Nurse named Blair Warner started interfering with her life. Now she is trying to balance friendships, romance, career.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Suture That, Stat!

Jo sat on the gurney, trying to get her black Doc Martens boots back on and was having a hard time lacing them up. Haste makes waste, her mother always said and again, mom had been correct. Jo tried to take a deep breath to calm herself but it didn't work.

Dammit! She finally got her boots on and laced but she was so damn tired, that getting off the gurney meant she was back to the unit for sure, so she contemplated maybe getting 10 more winks when the door of the exam room flung open, letting copious amounts of unwanted light into the room and a head popped in yelling, "Dr. Polniazcek, it's 0500HRS...still!" and the door slammed shut. Jo grimaced, not because of the time but because SHE was the one waking her up after three measly hours of shut eye.

Annoyed, Jo slid off the gurney and landed on her feet. She grabbed her white lab coat and put it on. Her name was neatly embroidered on the right side of the coat, "Dr. Joanna M. Polniazcek, Resident." That made Jo smile, because it took a lot of years to get to this point. Her navy scrubs were slightly wrinkled but they would be okay. She grabbed her stethoscope, put it around her neck and fluffed her long dark brown hair so it looked somewhat neat.

"Oh well, not here to impress." Right, except HER. God why couldn't she stop thinking about HER. If she failed at being the top second year resident here at PCH, SHE would be in hot water.

Once Jo was back in the E.R, she felt more at ease. This was her home and a great place of action at times. Broken legs, cardiac arrest, comas, traumas...all the good stuff. She loved her job and was a natural at being at emergency care. It had been a dream of hers since she was a kid. Once she had to go into the ER in the Bronx with a broken arm when she was 13, and that was when she decided she wanted to become a trauma doctor.

So to college she went and after 5 long years, she finally made it. After attending Langley Medical School, she had been shipped over to Peekskill County Hospital as a medical student. She worked herself ragged being the butt monkey of all the residents and nurses. She got the shit work but eventually her own tenacity paid off.

When it was time to pick a specialty, no one was surprised when she requested trauma. Now she was very close to completing her second year, but in her way was...HER.

Jo had never met anyone who bugged her as much as the Charge nurse of the ER, Blair Warner. SHE was the one who loved to make more work for Jo, make everything more complicated with scads of unnecessary paperwork and constant reprimands for using 'too much" of everything including time and medical supplies. How can you use too many sutures on an arm that required seventeen stitches? Yeah, maybe sometimes Jo handed out a few extra band aides to people who were less fortunate, and yeah, she didn't care if people had insurance or not. But why did that have to concern big old mean Nurse Warner? She didn't own the damn hospital.

Jo was thinking these rather inane thoughts as she was walking quickly to the unit desk to see what was going on and what cases she might be able to sink her teeth into. Maybe a nice head injury or broken leg, stroke, coma? Before she had time to ask Jerry, the desk clerk what he had for her, Nurse Warner appeared.

"I called you three times, Dr. Polniazcek. Your shift began at 0500 not 0510." Nurse Warner said crossing her arms.

Jo gave her a look of disdain thru weary bloodshot eyes, "Sorry, but I just had 3 hours of shut eye. Unlike you, who probably slept 8 hours."

"My sleeping habits are of no concern of yours, Doctor. Just show up when you are suppose to. This is an ER, not a college frat house." Warner said, walking away without waiting for Jo's usual comical retort.

"I guess she woke up on the wrong side of the broom this morning, huh?" Jo said with a grin to Jerry.

Jerry shook his head and frowned, "Alice Beacon told Dr. Goodwin who told Danny the intern that Nurse B and Doctor George broke up."

Jo was shocked, "The Trauma Charge Nurse broke up with Super Chief of Residents? Holy shit, Sherlock, how'd that happen. I thought they were the Ken and Barbie of Peekskill County?"

"Guess not everything is what it seems, huh Dr J?" Jerry said solemnly.

"I guess." Jo said thoughtfully. The news had surprised her. The Chief Resident, George Burnett was a nice guy, a little flakey sometimes but an okay guy and a good doctor. Jo thought that the relationship between Warner and Burnett wasn't a great idea. Those things rarely worked out, dating people you work with.

She dated a lot of EMT's, cops, even a nurse when she was still in school, but none worked out. So she concentrated on her studies and ignored personal liaisons. She figured that once she was a Chief Resident of County, she would settle down with someone and they'd buy a house and have a dog or a cat, maybe a kid although Jo had no intention on having kids herself. Maybe they could adopt or something. Those were her dreams, anyways.

"Jo, there's a laceration in C4, can you check it out. Sam is on break." Dr. Andy Moffat said as he handed Jo a file. This startled Jo who was in deep in thought with her dreams of the future.

"Yeah, no problem. Thanks." Jo said, still distracted with the thoughts of Warner and George no longer a couple and her own dating woes. She walked into room C4 and saw a young girl, maybe 18, with her arms covered in tea towels.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Polniazcek, what's the problem?" Jo said with a smile.

"What do you think is the problem, Dr Jekyll? I cut my friggin' arm!" The girl yelled angrily.

Jo glanced at the file, "Well...Miss Affinado, let me have a look."

"Are you even a real doctor coz you don't look like one." Miss Affinado said with contempt.

"Well what do I look like?" Jo asked, knowing she was walking right into this one.

"Like a friggin' janitor. Where you from, Brooklyn?" Affinado said scathingly.

"I assure you, I am a doctor - see I have a lab coat and everything and I am here to suture your arm. Oh and yes I am from the Bronx if you must know." Jo said as she opened the file to read a little more into the girl's situation.

"Bronx, huh? Were you like a Young Diablo or something?" Affinado said with a laugh.

Jo looked up, "Ah, look here...Miss...Kelly Affinado, I am here to suture your wound, if you a require a psychiatric assessment, we have an excellent psyche resident, Dr Cindy Webster."

"I'm just pullin' yer chain, for God's sake, lightin' up. Here' my arm and make it quick, I got things to do." Kelly Affinado said laughing at Jo.

Jo was not impressed but she gathered a sterile suture tray and started to wash her hands, wishing that she had asked a nurse to assist in case the kid got out of hand. Suddenly as if on cue, Nurse Warner knocked on the door with her usual three taps and entered the room, "Do you require any assistance Doctor?"

Jo dried her hands and looked over at Warner with a reflexive grin, "Yeah, actually I could use an extra set of hands. Thanks."

"Excellent, I'll prepare your tray." Blair said donning blue nitrite gloves.

"Hey who's this little piece of Heaven?" Kelly Affinado said to Jo with a wink, as she leered at the nurse in pretty pink scrubs.

"That is Nurse Warner, who will be assisting me." Jo said firmly, not taking too kindly to Affinado's rather disgusting inferences.

"Hey she can bed bath me anytime, ain't that right, honey cakes?" Affinado said with a wink to Blair.

"Look kid, I'm gonna suture that arm, and it's either gonna be a breeze or it's gonna hurt like hell. Pick which ever ya want, it makes no difference to me." Jo growled angrily.

Blair looked over at Jo while she prepared the sterile tray of instruments, giving her a curious look. Blair didn't usually allow emotions to interweave into her job, work was work, play was play, simple as that. But for the first time, she actually SAW Dr. Joanna Polniazcek and the way she conducted herself in a social situation. It seemed as if The Doctor was attempting to protect Blair's honor, something she had never seen anyone do for her before.

"Miss Affinado, is it? Dr. Polniazcek is very good at her job so please do not make it harder for her." Blair said using her sternest demeanour she could muster.

Kelly looked over at Jo and then Blair, contemplating a retort.

Jo walked over to Blair, ignoring the annoying patient and smiled, "Gloves?"

"Of course Doctor." Blair said as she found the sterile blue gloves and skilfully removed them from the paper lining and put them onto Jo's hands as it she was a magician.

Jo gave her a silly grin, "Hey you could take that skill on the road and make a lot of moola."

"If the nursing gig doesn't fly, I might just do that." Blair said with a straight face. The joke threw Jo off and she found herself chuckling at the blonde.

Jo held her sterile gloved hands up and waited for Blair to prepare Affinado's arm for suturing. She couldn't seem to stop smiling and wondered why Warner was being so, well, nice. Had she always been nice and Jo just hadn't noticed or was this something to do with George and the break up.

Now she was annoyed because her days of relationships, one night stands and casual hook ups ended years ago. She supposed that, yeah, maybe once...or twice she was kinda attracted to blondie, kinda. When Jo first came to Peekskill County, she was a 1st year Medical Student and very wet behind the ears even though she had been a volunteer EMT for a three years in high school. She had been, what, 24 at the time? Her first encounter with Nurse Warner was, memorable to say the least.

She had bumped into Blair in the cafeteria and did not know who she was yet. Jo was still working her moves on anything that walked, talked and used the woman's lavatory so naturally Jo offered to buy the nurse a coffee which Blair politely declined. Jo couldn't just let it go so she offered tea, pop...me? That had been the wrong move and Nurse Warner tore a strip off the poor medical student in front of many other people, including the Senior Resident at the time, Dr. George Burnett. Jo left the cafeteria with her tail between her legs, feeling very much like a scolded child. The next time she saw Nurse Warner was when Dr. Andy Moffat, a first year resident, introduced the medical students to the Trauma team, including one Nurse Warner. She wasn't Charge nurse yet but she was gunning for it as anyone could see.

After that encounter in the cafeteria, Blair treated Jo with such disdain that it became unbearable, thus how the whole discord between them started. How long ago was that, Jo thought, like 6 years? Gee, I was such a jerk back then.

"Dr. Polniazcek, the patient is ready." Blair said, giving Jo a slight frown.

"Oh yeah, right. Okay let's have a look...simple. Nurse I need the .18 suture and a quarter inch needle. I'd say six stitches? You concur?" Jo said eyeing the girls bloody arm, and then looking at Blair.

Blair looked up and gave Jo a confused look, "Six sounds right, and can I suggest using the .12, the girl's skin is quite thin."

Jo grinned, ".12 it is. Thank you Nurse Warner."

Jo sat down and began to work on Kelly Affinado's arm. Blair assisted and Jo found that this Nurse really knew her way around a bloody gouged arm. Many nurses could assist just as well but they sometimes were more of a hindrance than anything else. They chatted about boyfriends and babies and other boring subjects, and it could annoy Jo to no end. She didn't want to hear about how the nurses husband doesn't clean up after the cat or why her kid likes Xbox but not homework.

Warner just skilfully handed the instruments to Jo without idle chit chat or asking inane questions about Jo's life outside of the hospital. It was refreshing, really.

Soon Affinado's arm was stitched up and Jo asked Blair to bandage it up. Jo tossed her gloves into the trash and washed her hands. As she dried them, she looked over at Blair and smiled, "Thank you, Nurse. You certainly have a flair for suturing."

"Thank you. It was my pleasure assisting you." Blair said as she completed bandaging up Affinado's arm.

Kelly watched the exchange and rolled her eyes as she jumped off the exam table, "Do ya two need a room or something? Sheesh."

Jo watched as the young woman sauntered out of the exam room and into the ER where Jerry caught up with her holding a bill. Bah-Zing, thought Jo happily. That'll teach ya for being stupid. She then wanted to say something witty to Blair but she had already left the room and Jo was just standing there looking rather silly. Dammit, why can't work just be friggin' work.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Get Me 355cc of Budweiser, Stat!

The rest of the shift went fine. Jo was kept busy with a string of small time emergencies - one asthma attack; someone from the nursing home had broken a hip and one extremely hung over Langley frat kid. She handled each case skilfully. She noticed that Chief Resident George Burnett was acting as if everything was normal, certainly not like a guy who just broke up with his live-in girlfriend of five years. Ah, guys were weird, she thought.

By 2000 hours, it slowed down enough so Jo was finally allowed to have a rest in the staff room. She snuggled into a blanket on the battered couch and quickly fell asleep. As she gently snored away, Nurse Warner came in, finishing her own long double shift. She at first didn't notice the snoring heap on the couch but just as she headed towards the locker area, she saw Jo stir. Amused, she walked over and looked down at the tenacious brunette.

Jo woke up and looked up to see what she thought was an angel, "Woa, am I dreaming or is this some kinda vision?"

Blair rolled her eyes and walked towards the locker room, "I believe you are delusional, Dr. Polniazcek."

Jo sat up and watched Blair walk away. What the hell, she thought and lay back down. What was the story with her any ways? Ah well, maybe she'd think about it another day and fell back asleep.

Around 2300, Jo was awakened by George Burnett. "You live here or something, kid?"

Jo was groggy and she yawned, "Oh hey Dr. Burnett...sorry I must have dozed off. Sorry, it won't happen again."

"Chill out, Polniazcek, your shift ended three hours ago. Go home, have a shower, go on a date, just get out of the hospital and take 24 hours off. I'll see you on Monday." George said as he straightened his burgundy tie. He looked tired but content. Jo was curious and drowsy, a bad combination.

"Hey Dr. Burnett...George?" Jo said quietly.

"Yeah, Polniazcek? What's up?" George said as he poured a cup of old coffee.

"What's the story with you and Warner?" Jo asked, watching George drink the old rancid coffee.

"Hmm...you heard I guess." George said with a shrug.

"Yeah, you know gossip and all." Jo said in embarrassment.

George sat on the counter and loosened his tie, he now looked tired, "People have the wrong idea about me and Blair. This is just between you and me, kid, but we are only friends. I mean at first it was more but then we just kinda became roomies."

Jo's eyebrows rose and she laughed, "No kidding? You and Blair never, you know, sutured together?"

George laughed, "Well, I don't kiss and tell. Now we are...or we're just friends."

"Were?" Jo asked.

"We had what you call a falling out. It's complicated but she doesn't want to live with me anymore so there is nothing more to talk about." George said sadly.

"I'm sorry George, I don't know what to say." Jo said in earnest. Half a day ago, Jo would have told George he was better off but now, she wasn't so sure.

"Don't worry about it Jo, it's not about me anyways, it's about Blair. She has some stuff she needs to work out." George said vaguely. He finished the coffee and slipped off the counter. He gave Jo a weak smile and walked back out into the hospital hallway.

Jo was rather curious about the whole thing but she was tired. She went to her locker and changed into her jeans and t-shirt. Donning her leather jacket, she tossed her white Nike sneakers into the locker and put her boots on. With a sigh, she locked the locker door and walked off to the parking lot door. Once outside, she noticed it was getting chilly in Peekskill, and soon she wouldn't be able to ride her motorcycle anymore. Jo was about to jump on when her beeper went off. Damn, she thought, there goes my break.

She chased down a phone booth and called the number, "Polniazcek here, what is it?" Jo said sourly.

"Jo?" The vaguely familiar voice said.

"Yeah, it's Jo...who is this?" Jo said rather owly.

"Jo, it's Warner, Blair Warner from County? Have I called at a bad time?" Blair said.

"Oh hi Warner...uhm...Blair, what's up?" Jo said trying to sound a bit friendlier.

"I know it's rather early, but I was wondering if you were up to drinks at Paddy's?" Blair asked tentatively. Jo could hear a slight tremor in her voice. Was she ok, Jo wondered?

"Yeah, I suppose I can have one for the road. Should I just meet you there, like in a half hour?" Jo said, trying to sound even nicer.

"That would be terrific. I'll be there in a jiffy." Blair said and hung up. Jo looked at the phone and was puzzled. What was she up to? Jo straddled the bike and took off for Paddy's Pub, the dive all the medical personnel hung out at after hours. It wasn't Jo's place; she liked the Chug-a-Lug out on the highway. She wasn't sure why.

Soon she could see the pub to the left and she parked her bike in the back, securing her helmet on the side with a lock. She stopped and tried to think of something to say when she got into the bar but she found words were failing her. She really should be at home sleeping but she supposed a little bit of socializing couldn't hurt. She went into the pub and looked around for Blair. She saw the nurse immediately, sitting alone in a booth. Jo walked over and tried to give her an easy going smile, "Hey Warner."

Blair's face lit up and she grinned, "I'm really glad you could make it, please sit down."

Jo sat down opposite Blair and twiddled her thumbs, "So...you come here often?"

Blair laughed, "Is that the best pick up line you have?"

Jo reddened, "No I have better, but I'm not trying to pick any one up."

Blair stopped laughing, "Of course you're not. Sorry. Can I get you a drink?"

Jo's face softened, "I'll have a beer but I can pay for my own."

"No problem but you are a starving resident are you not? I don't mind." Blair said.

Jo shrugged, "Sure, why the hell not? I'll have a Bud."

Blair smiled and got the waitresses attention, "I'd like another red wine and my friend here would like a Bud."

"So..." Jo started.

Blair interrupted, "Yes I come here often. Where do you usually go?"

Jo shrugged, "The Chug-A-Lug on the highway."

Blair laughed, "That's brings back memories."

Jo gave Blair a look of surprise, "Really, what kind?"

"I went to the Eastland Academy for Girls here in Peekskill and the Chug-A-Lug was a place we always wanted to crash but we were underage, and no one knew how to make fake ID's."

It was Jo's turn to laugh, "Too bad I never made it there! I once was an expert fake ID maker in my youth. You know, I was supposed to go to Eastland when I was 16 but I convinced my Ma that I would do better in school and so we saved the scholarship money for Langley College instead."

"So you went to public school?" Blair asked, wondering how such a brilliant doctor could come from such a poor back ground.

"Yeah, Catholic actually, St Pius X was my school. Then I went to Archbishop Macdonald High, graduated with honours and was accepted into Langley." Jo said casually, wondering if she was boring the nurse.

"That's fantastic." Blair said with a sad smile.

"Eastland, eh? You wouldn't happen to know Nat Green would ya?" Jo asked.

"Natalie Green? She was a few years behind me, quite a comedian; I believe she was the editor of the school paper." Blair said, trying to think back.

"Yeah, a writer. Nat is a friend of mine. She works for the Peekskill Press. We met at the bowling league three years ago. Hell of a bowler." Jo said happily.

Blair smiled weakly, "That's the game in which you wear someone else's shoes?"

Jo frowned, "Yeah, bowling shoes...unless you are some rich dweeb, then you have your own."

"Right...rich dweebs." Blair said hollowly, sipping her red wine. Obviously she doesn't know the Warner name, Blair thought to herself. She supposed that was a good thing since the brunette didn't seem to like her much, knowing that Blair was from a wealthy family would just make things more...complicated? She thought that was the word she'd use to describe things lately.

Jo was quite happy when her beer arrived and guzzled it appropriately, "Small world, huh? Wonder if we know anyone else?"

Blair shrugged, "Another Eastland student attended Langley Medical school, she was quite younger than me. Had quite the reputation for gossiping. I think she might be a third or fourth year Medical Student...Tootie Ramsay?"

Jo thought about it, " I know of a Dorothy Ramsay?"

Blair smiled, "Is she a short spitfire of a girl, African-American?"

Jo chuckled, "Yeah, that's her. Drives everyone nuts but I hear she's pretty good. I believe she's mine soon, her turn to do a rotation with mean Doc Jo. Another Eastland girl huh? I suppose it makes sense."

Blair smiled, "Why do you say that?"

Jo laughed, "Well, Eastland is right by Peekskill and so is Langley. Two and two together makes..."

"...Four, I know. Have you ever had the strudel over at Edna's?" Blair finished Jo's sentence. She was happy that they were having a civil conversation and did not want the momentum to end.

Jo thought for a moment, "Yeah, I think I have. It's run by a little old lady, right?"

Blair smiled, "Yes, Edna Garrett. She once was the school nutritionist at Eastland. She left right after I graduated and opened up shop. She is really nice. I go over there a lot. Just to chat, you know? I love her Apple Strudel."

Jo grinned, "Eastland seems to own this town, huh? Too bad I missed out. I suppose you were quite popular in school?"

Blair blushed slightly, wondering if she should tell Jo about how she once belonged to the popular crowd, had looked down on people like Jo, but after the drug scandal in 79', she basically shunned all social situations and did keep her nose in books for the rest of her years in school.

"Not really, I was into my studies more. My grades were more important to me than dances and what not." Blair finally said.

"Me too. I'm not what you would call a social butterfly. I did play sports in school, mostly field hockey and basketball. You know, its funny how we never bumped into each other at Langley." Jo said as she drank her beer.

Blair knew why, but wouldn't say it aloud, "I suppose we just went in different circles. When did you graduate?"

Jo smiled, "Class of 89. I had a degree in Biology, minor in Chemistry. How about you?"

Blair sipped her wine, "I graduated in 1986, I was in an accelerated academic program at Langley. Afterwards, I went to Yale to study Nursing. I came back to Peekskill because I wanted to give back to a community that had given me so much."

Jo was shocked to say the least, "Wow, you were a brain? Graduated in 1986? You were like only 19 or 20? Holy cow, that's amazing."

"It's no big deal; really I had nothing better to do." Blair said honestly.

"Oh, you don't have any family?" Jo asked, feeling a bit sad for the woman.

"My parents are divorced. My father lives in New York and my mother resides in Paris. They have very busy lives, so I don't see them much anymore." Blair said quietly.

Jo gave Blair a smile, "My parents are divorced too, but dad drives a truck back and forth from the west coast to east. My mom still lives in the Bronx, she's a waitress. I visit them as much as I can, you know holidays and such. Not so much in the past few years with my residency being a priority. But they come and see me here in Peekskill at least every two months or so."

Blair smiled warmly at Jo, "You are very lucky."

It was Jo's turn to blush, "Yeah I know, I love my parents a lot. We are poor, but happy." It was true; Jo knew she was very well off in the family department. Sure her parents were not perfect but they were quite happy right now. Even though her dad, Charlie, remarried a nice lady from Hoboken with two young kids, he remained true to both her and Ma. Jo hoped someday her mother would find someone too, she deserved to be happy.

Jo's beer was drained and she knew if she had another one, she'd have to leave her motorcycle for the night and take to the sidewalk to reach her tiny apartment in downtown Peekskill. She wondered if sitting here with Nurse Warner was worth the bother of another beer and leaving her cycle in the hands of the fates. She looked up at Blair and noticed that she had the most beautiful skin, and her hair was so soft looking. She smelled really good too, that she noticed right away. How old would she be, maybe a few years older than her, maybe? Did she even ask her? It was hard to know since her schooling was so odd. These questions seemed to cement the fact that, yeah she was gonna have another beer.

"Another Bud?" Blair asked with a timid smile.

Jo grinned, "What the hell, sure. I'll walk home."

Blair smiled with relief, "Great! Are you hungry?"

Jo shrugged, "I'm almost always hungry."

Blair motioned to the waitress and then looked at Jo, "Their wings are to die for, yes?"

Jo shrugged, "Ah...okay but I'm not sure I got enough to pay for..."

Blair stopped her, "My treat, you are a starving Resident right? That's the least a head Nurse can do to lift moral of her doctors, right?"

Jo fiddled with the label on her Bud bottle, "Yeah I guess. Its not like I'm poor or something, I'm just under paid."

"I understand, it's hard for the residents and medical students. The hospital doesn't pay very much and you can't afford to work elsewhere because of the long shifts." Blair said with a frown.

"Yeah, that's right. But someday, I'll make money. First thing I'll do then is pay for my Ma to take a huge vacation. Then I'll pay my student loans off." Jo said with a thoughtful look. In fact, she had been thinking quite hard about what she was going to do one the resident program was over. She loved Trauma but was unsure if she could get a position at PCH, so she might have to look at other hospitals in the New York area.

The waitress came over and took the order from Blair, who ordered another wine.

"You drivin'?" Jo asked, concerned.

Blair shook her head, "No, I took a cab here from my house."

Jo looked at Blair with curiosity, "I thought you broke up with...maybe I should shut it, sorry."

Blair sighed, "I suppose the word around the trauma unit is that George dumped me."

Jo shrugged, "Not actually that, but the word was that you and he are no more."

"People just assumed that...you know; let's not talk about George right now. Oh look, our wings!" Blair said, quickly changing the subject.

Jo was about to ask what she meant but when she saw the food and fresh bottle of frosty beer, her mind wandered to more important things like eating and drinking.

They ate in silence, enjoying the food and drink. Once they had finished off the plate of wings, Jo was feeling very full. "I think I need another hole in my belt!" Jo said with a grin.

"I doubt that! You are too thin already. Do you ever eat?" Blair said, now sounding very much like the bossy Nurse she was in the emergency room.

"Yeah yeah, you ain't my mother, Warner!" Jo said with an annoyed look.

"Well you need someone to ensure you stay healthy! You are a doctor, and a promising one at that." Blair said, ignoring Jo's tone.

"Yeah...well...look..." Jo started and then stopped.

Blair smiled at her, and Jo blushed saying, "You really think I have a promising career?"

"Of course I do, I wouldn't hound you so at the hospital if I thought you were going to become a quack." Blair said as if it had been apparent all along.

Jo looked at Blair and had a sip of her beer. What the fuck? What's the score with this chick? This was making her brain hurt, a lot. I mean, she had been hating on this woman for the whole of her term at County, and now overnight, she's claiming to be her biggest fan. Is this for real? Maybe she was hit by a car and is in a coma...great her life flashed before her and all she has in a fantasy of beer and wings with the head nurse at her residency...

"Jo are you alright?" Blair asked, looking quite concerned.

"What? Yeah, I'm great. So you've been riding my ass for the past how many years because you think I have promise? I can't imagine what you do to people ya hate!" Jo proclaimed.

Blair reddened, "I know what it takes to be a good ER doctor..."

"Apparently not since all you became was a nurse." Jo said regretting the words as they fell out of her beer saturated mouth.

Blair frowned at Jo, "That was tactless, you do know that right?"

Jo put her head on the table with a thump and then looked up at Blair, "I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth a lot. I am so sorry, that was the worst thing I have said to anyone in a long time. I am not sure why I said it. Training to be a nurse in trauma is just as difficult."

Blair gave Jo a piercing look, "Try to get a handle on that habit, Dr. Polniazcek, you are still only a second year resident. You have a long way to go before you can look down on your colleagues."

Jo nodded, embarrassed, "I know. I know. Again, foot in mouth disease. Diagnosed in 1982. No known cure."

Blair smiled ever so slightly, "There may be no cure but I am sure there is an appropriate treatment routine that you can follow to lessen the symptoms."

Jo shrugged and smirked, "Beer and wings?"

Blair grinned, "Yes, but only when prescribed by a nurse who knows how to treat it."

"That would be you. So do you treat all the residents this way or am I a special case?" Jo asked.

"Special case. Are you enjoying the wings?" Blair said now changing the subject.

"They are great. The beer is good too. I should sleep well tonight." Jo said happily.

"Where do you live?" Blair asked, curious.

"In a small bachelor apartment over Howard's Cycle. I help him out in the shop and I get my rent free." Jo said, finishing the last wing. They were good, and without this meal, it would have been a can of beans cooked on a hot plate and a can of Diet Cola.

Blair looked surprised, "You are a mechanic too?"

Jo shrugged, "I dabble in motorcycle repair. I have since I was a teenager. Built my own bike outta scraps. I've had that baby since 1980, still runs like its new. You gotta take care of things, you know."

Blair smiled and looked at Jo appraisingly, "That's amazing. I didn't know that. You are quite the wonder."

"Thanks, but I admire your brainiac brain more. Did you ever contemplate becoming a doctor, if you don't mind me asking?" Jo said, trying to not sound like a buffoon.

It was Blair's turn to shrug, "I was young when I graduated college and I didn't feel I had the emotional maturity to go the distance in med school. So I chose nursing instead. I don't regret it."

Jo was surprise by her candour, "Yeah, I can see your point. I mean, basically, it's like boot camp in med school and it gets worse once you are placed in a hospital setting. Med students are the bottom of the barrel in the ER. But I survived it."

"That's because you were born to do it, like I was born to me a nurse." Blair said brightly.

"My mother thought I might become a street thug when I was younger, I'm glad she was wrong."Jo said with a chuckle.

"Well I am sure she is very proud of you now." Blair replied. She looked at her watch and realized that she was keeping the young resident from a proper sleep. She knew this because she had asked George to let her have some time off and he reluctantly did so, that she knew.

"You gotta go?" Jo asked as she watched Blair look at her watch.

"No, but I am keeping you from a good night's sleep." Blair said.

"Yeah, I got the rest of my life to sleep. I'm enjoying your company much better." Jo said with a smile.

Blair smiled back but knew that the resident would be no good to Peekskill County or the ER if she didn't get some much needed rest, "Jo, let's share a cab. My house is just a few blocks away."

"What? Oh okay, sure." Jo said, disappointed as the beer was giving her a nice vibe and she was really enjoying listening to Blair talk.

Blair stood up, went to pay the bill and call a cab. Jo just watched her, feeling guilty that she had disliked the blond so much the past few years.

They waited outside and Jo found it chilly. Blair only had a small cardigan on and she could see that she was shivering. Jo gallantly took off her leather jacket and wrapped it around Blair's shoulders, "You look like ya need this much more than me."

Instead of rebuking the offer, Blair let the young woman put the coat around her, finding it both charming and alluring at the same time. She struggled with that feeling and wondered if she had made a big mistake. The cab arrived and Jo let Blair get in first. They sat in silence as the cab took Blair to her house, a pretty brownstone walk up.

Jo looked at Blair and said, "I thought you lived with George?"

Blair looked rather uncomfortable, "Actually, George lived with me. This is my place. He's looking for a new place to live. He's staying with his father right now. His dad owns the hardware store in town, so he'll just stay with him until he can find something."

"Oh, right. Makes sense." Jo said, not really knowing how to respond.

"Does it?" Blair said sceptically.

"No not really, I was just being polite. I'm not sure what I'm talking about anymore." Jo babbled.

Blair paid the driver and looked over at Jo, "You are very sweet, Dr. Jo Polniazcek."

Blair smiled and climbed out of the cab. She left Jo craning her neck to have a last look at Blair as the cab drove away.

"Damn." Jo said with a sigh.

To Be Continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: I Need 100cc of Understanding, Stat!

Author's Note: I am just in the midst of studying my Medical Terminology textbook for work so some of my medical info is a bit off but I am hoping my new job at the hospital will help with the story telling.

Once Jo was in her small room above the cycle shop, she found a cold can of beer in her mini-fridge that her dad had bought her last Christmas. She drained the beer can quickly and then found her bed. She lay down, scrubs still on sans her leather jacket which Nurse Warner had forgotten to give back to her. She closed her eyes and found latent images of Nurse Blair in her memory. Images that she had forgotten, but now seemed like yesterday. She recalled how Blair had rebuffed her come on that first day, and it was why Jo had disliked her so. But she didn't remember until now how Blair had helped her on that very first shift. Jo was only a third year medical student and was running around the hospital like a chicken with its head cut off. She had been assigned to the geriatric unit, which was tiny. Her job was to assist in the G-Tube feedings for the elderly that could no longer swallow or chew their food properly. Following the nutrition list that was posted in the kitchen, she struggled to find the right cans of nourishment for the right person. There had been five different kinds and Ensure which was a oral supplement. For some reason, Blair had been idling in the unit and poked her head in to see the confused medical student holding cans and Kangaroo Nutrition containers in both hands. "Are those for the 1600 hour feedings? Mr Filgate, Mrs Patmore and Miss Tomashofski?"

Jo turned and looked over to see the nurse she had angered so much at lunch, "Er...yeah...I have never..."

Blair looked over at the chart on the fridge, "Filgate gets 300ml of Jevity fibre at 100cc an hour then a 150ml water flush, Patmore gets 200 ml of Jevity 1.0 at 60cc an hour with a 200ml water flush, and Miss Tom gets Isosource 374ml at 80cc an hour and she gets a 150ml saline solution flush. Their Enteral Nutrition machines are in their rooms. Just fill the Kangaroo Enteral feeding containers with said nourishment, label the containers with that black marker with their names, and bring them to the rooms. Someone will show you how to get the machine working and how to attach it to their g-tubes and PEG's. Got it?"

Jo nodded slowly, "Um...thanks."

"Hurry, they are probably hungry." Blair said and then she was gone. Jo had been able to do what she said and they did show her how to use the machines.

Jo wondered how she had forgotten that so easily. She supposed her pride had got the better of her. Jo was used to charming women, it had been a skill she acquired in high school and used throughout her college days. Very few people refused her unless they were very straight. In retrospect, putting the moves on someone her first day as a medical student in a hospital was one of the dumbest things she had ever done.

Jo had assumed that the nurse was looking over her shoulder because she thought Jo was inept. Maybe that had been the wrong interpretation. The time last year when she struggled with a central line in the ER and only Blair had come to assist, talking her through the procedure because the individual had been disabled and deformed. Jo recalled how soothing Blair spoke to the disabled girl, and how she wasn't angry at Jo for not being able to do it, but encouraging her on and explaining that it was normal for this to be difficult because the individual had scoliosis and therefore was not lying completely straight on the gurney. Jo was able to complete the procedure and the girl was able to return to her group home in a few days. She recalled Blair's parting words, "I appreciate how you treated the patient, Dr. Polniazcek, many doctors treat the handicapped like objects, and you were very professional."

Jo's mind was swimming with memories but she finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.

Jo woke up to the screech of the telephone and bolted up from her bed, "What?"

She found the phone and picked up, "Yeah?"

"Dr. Polniazcek, you are due in half hour at Peekskill County, don't be late." The caller said and then hung up.

Jo was about to say something but it was pointless, the person hung up. She wondered who it was until she looked at her watch and saw that she was indeed supposed to be on rounds by 0700. She quickly brushed her teeth, washed her face, and ran a brush over her hair. She practically jumped out of her clothes and dressed in clean ones. No time for a cup of java, she pulled on an old Langley College sweatshirt, and grabbed her keys. She ran down to the garage and looked around for Howard. In cases of emergencies, she was allowed to borrow Howard's beat up Buick, so she left him a quick note and took the spare keys from the bulletin board. She drove as fast a legally possible and was at the hospital with five minutes to spare. Jo parked the car and ran into the Emergency Room entrance.

"Hey Dr. Polniazcek, thought you were gonna be late." Jerry, the desk clerk said cheerily.

"Did you call me, Jerry?" Jo asked as she walked past the desk towards the locker room.

Jerry laughed, "No way, I like seeing you residents get chewed up by Dr. Burnett."

Jo frowned at him but couldn't help but smirk too; Yeah well I got a guardian angel somewhere."

Jo found her locker and removed her sweatshirt quickly. She found her stethoscope, spare aqua blue scrubs, white runners and her lab coat. She dressed quickly and ran out of the room towards the Trauma area charge station.

George Burnett was there with five other residents and five third year medical students. Jo ran up to them and smiled sheepishly.

"Have a good rest, Dr. Polniazcek?" George asked with no expression on his face.

"Fine. Sorry I was late." Jo said quietly.

"Your not late Jo, chill out." Andy Moffat said with a smile.

"Dr. Polniazcek, today I am giving you a present. I'd like you to meet Dorothy Ramsay and John Carter, your third year medical students in trauma. Enjoy." Dr. Burnett said with a smile.

Jo looked over at the students, one was a short pretty black woman and the other was a tall thin nice looking young man with blond hair. They both looked terrified. Jo smiled at them which seemed to make them more scared.

"You are now a Senior Resident in charge of these fine young people. Now let's start rounds and then you can take them out for a spin. Okay people, let's rally; we have a full case load today due to a vehicular accident this morning at 0300. Let's begin." George said as he held the huge clear clipboard full of patient charts.

They all started to move as a group and Jo signalled for the two med students to follow along with her, "Hey come over here and stick with me."

Carter and Ramsay quickly walked to Jo's side and they continued with the group. George randomly asked questions about each case, waiting for people to take the initiative and answer them.

"Okay, we have a 45 year old female, MVA, she came in with lacerations to face, neck and chest. BP was 115 over 60, required intubation..." George said as he looked around at them all.

"Possible punctured lung. Continue to monitor BP and heart rate, Chem 7 and ABC. Do a chest ASAP. May require consult with plastic surgeon once stable. Chest tube?" Jo said calmly. The two med students looked at her with big eyes.

"Good Jo, she's all yours. The rest of you continue on." George said with a smile and gave Jo the chart and took his train of residents and med students with him.

Jo sighed,"Okay you two, let's go see the...lemme look...Mrs Stickle. Come on, don't be shy."

Carter and Ramsay reluctantly walked along with Jo to the trauma room, "So you both from Langley?"

"I am." Ramsay said quietly. They both looked at the young man.

"I'm from Chicago." Carter said shyly.

"Well nice to meet you both. Okay here is where Mrs Stickle is being cared for." Jo said as she entered the ICU. They proceeded to gown up and entered her room.

"Hello Mrs Stickle, I am Dr. Jo Polniazcek, and these two fine young people are third year medical students...Carter and Ramsay. So how are you today?" Jo said knowing full well the woman couldn't respond.

Jo picked up the chart and recited to the students, "Right. The patient was involved in a MVA earlier this AM, chest was crushed on steering wheel, and facial lacerations. She was intubated at approx 0400 hours. CBC was done, nothing exciting was found. Chest x ray shows a punctured right lung, chest tube was used by trauma surgeons to drain fluid, patched up. Let's see, right wrist was broken, ortho patches it, and a broken left hip, will need further x-rays when stable."

"Will she make it?" Dorothy Ramsay asked.

"Oh yeah, she'll require extensive rehabilitation but she'll live." Jo said shrugging.

"What are we going to do?" Carter asked.

"Looks like they are doing everything they can but I will get them to do a Chem-7 on her. Can't hurt." Jo said happily.

"So..." Ramsay started to say.

Jo grinned, "So there is nothing for me to do here so let's go to the waiting room and round up some cases, shall we?"

Jo's enthusiasm was short lived when Nurse Warner poked her head into the ICU, "Dr Burnett need you in room D4 stat."

"Okay, can I take these two with me?" Jo asked.

"No, they need to fill out some paperwork for HR. Ms Ramsay, Mr Carter, please come with me." Blair said sternly.

"Just wait a minute, they are my students!" Jo protested.

"No, they are the hospitals, and I need them now." Blair said, giving Jo an icy stare.

"Sorry Dr Polniazcek, but we're going with her, she's way more scary." Dorothy Ramsay whispered to Jo as she pulled on Carter's arm and they strode out with Blair leaving Jo seething.

Jo washed her hands and walked quickly over to D4 grumbling to herself. Damn that woman, meddling in her affairs! When would she learn that people couldn't be trusted...arg! Jo continued her internal rage until she reached the room and walked in still red with anger.

"Something wrong, Doctor?" Nurse Warner asked Jo while she was assisting George with his suturing of a young man's lower lip.

"I thought I was here to assist?" Jo said, ignoring Blair completely.

"You are, over there is his brother and I need you to suture his right eye brow. The boys were fighting, we're you not?" George said tersely.

Jo looked over and saw a younger man, maybe 17, sitting anxiously as he watched his brother getting medical care.

"Hi I'm Dr Polniazcek; let's have a look at that." Jo said turning her attention on the man.

"Is Ricky gonna be okay?" The young man asked.

Jo walked over to George and Blair, glanced at the chart and walked back casually, "Rick will be fine. You are?"

"Casey Bonner, that's my brother Rick. We had a fight over at Edna's. Some jerk from Bates was mocking our hockey team. We had to fight for their honour." Casey said angrily.

"You play with Langley?" Jo asked as she washed her hands and gloved up, her suture tray already laid out for her.

"No, I go to Stonewall Academy; Ricky here is a forward of the Langley team." Casey said, eyeing the suture kit nervously.

"Stonewall? That's the military academy across the field from Bates. Well, not to worry. Let's sew up that eyebrow." Jo said, trying to ignore Blair who was watching her.

"Is it gonna hurt?" Casey asked.

"Not as much as the punch you got from the fight. I'm gonna give you some freezing. Any allergies to novocaine?" Jo asked quietly.

"No, I go to the dentist every six months. My mom takes me." Casey said.

"Good. Okay stay still while I freeze the area." Jo said casually as she picked up the small 5cc syringe and filled it with Novocain from a very small glass container.

"Oh God I hate needles!" Casey moaned.

Jo was about to ask Blair for assistance out of habit but she was already by Jo's side, "Not to worry, Casey, Dr Polniazcek is a whiz at making people feel better."

Jo gave Blair a dazed look, "That's me, Dr Feel Good."

George laughed, "I thought that was my nickname?"

Jo frowned as she injected the freezing around the boy's gash while Blair delicately held the boys head from moving, "It's all yours, George."

"Hey, its feeling better already, Doc." Casey said once the injection was complete.

"I'm glad, now I need a..." But before Jo could finish, Blair had the suture needle in hand and was ready to assist.

"Ah, thanks..." Jo said as she took the instrument from Blair and gave the young man 3 fine stitches.

George finished his work and walked over to glance at Jo's handiwork, "Not bad Jo, you could have been a seamstress in another life time."

Jo looked at George and smiled, "In another life, I think I woulda been a cop."

The two patients were left to wait for their parents, and the three of them walked out into the ER main area.

"Why a cop, Jo?" Blair asked suddenly.

Jo shrugged, "I dunno, just was my back up plan if the whole healer thing didn't pan out."

Blair smiled at Jo, "I think the plan is working out fine, don't you think George?"

George grinned, "Doc Jo is our finest resident yet, I'm glad you approve of her, Warnsie."

Jo raised an eyebrow, "Warnsie?"

Blair blushed slightly, "That was a stupid nickname someone gave me when I was rushing a sorority at Langley."

"Really? Was it worth it?" Jo asked, amused.

"No, in the end I backed out and decided to live in the dorms. I didn't have time for such piffle and George knows that." Blair said giving George a warning glance.

"I always said all work and no play makes for boring college life." George said as he parted and made his way to his small office leaving Jo with Blair.

"You and George go all the way back to college?" Jo asked.

"Not really, he's a Peekskill native so I've known him for years. He used to deliver baked goods to Eastland as a way to pay his way thru med school. We always seem to cross paths eventually around here." Blair said wearily.

"Lunch?" Jo said suddenly.

"What?" Blair asked confused.

"Do you want to join me for lunch at the cafeteria? It's break time." Jo said hopefully.

Blair looked conflicted but in the end she thought it couldn't hurt, "Sure but I am brown bagging it today."

Jo laughed, "I brown bag it every day. Tuna fish on rye."

Blair smiled and the two walked to the elevator that would take them to the 3rd level where the staff cafeteria was situated.

To be continued...


End file.
